< Jeremiah 15 >

1 Then Yahweh said to me, “Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind would not turn toward this people. Cast them out of my sight, and let them go out!
UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Lanxa uMosi loSamuyeli bengema phambi kwami, inhliziyo yami ingeke iphendukele kulababantu. Basuse phambi kwami! Kabahambe!
2 It will happen when they ask you, ‘Where shall we go out?’ then you shall tell them, ‘Yahweh says: “Such as are for death, to death; such as are for the sword, to the sword; such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity.”’
Bangakubuza bathi, ‘Sizakuya ngaphi na?’ uthi kubo, uThixo uthi: ‘Abamiselwe ukufa, baya ekufeni; abenkemba, enkembeni; abendlala, endlaleni; abokuthunjwa, ekuthunjweni.’
3 “I will appoint over them four kinds,” says Yahweh: “the sword to kill, the dogs to tear, the birds of the sky, and the animals of the earth, to devour and to destroy.
Ngizabathumela imihlobo emine yabachithi,” kutsho uThixo, “inkemba yokubulala lezinja zokuhudulela khatshana njalo lezinyoni zasemoyeni kanye lezinyamazana zeganga ukuba zidle zibhuqe.
4 I will cause them to be tossed back and forth among all the kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem.
Ngizabenza banengeke emibusweni yonke yasemhlabeni ngenxa yalokho okwenziwa eJerusalema nguManase indodana kaHezekhiya inkosi yakoJuda.
5 For who will have pity on you, Jerusalem? Who will mourn you? Who will come to ask of your welfare?
Ngubani ozakuba lesihawu kuwe wena Jerusalema? Ngubani ozakukhalela na? Ngubani ozakuma abuze ukuthi unjani na?
6 You have rejected me,” says Yahweh. “You have gone backward. Therefore I have stretched out my hand against you and destroyed you. I am weary of showing compassion.
Ungalile,” kutsho uThixo. “Uqhubeka uhlehlela emuva. Ngakho ngizabeka izandla phezu kwakho ngikuchithe; ngingeke ngibe lesihawu futhi.
7 I have winnowed them with a fan in the gates of the land. I have bereaved them of children. I have destroyed my people. They didn’t return from their ways.
Ngizabahlungula ngefologwe yokwela emasangweni amadolobho elizwe. Ngizaletha ukufelwa lokuchitheka ebantwini bami, ngoba kabaguqulanga izindlela zabo.
8 Their widows are increased more than the sand of the seas. I have brought on them against the mother of the young men a destroyer at noonday. I have caused anguish and terrors to fall on her suddenly.
Ngizakwenza abafelokazi babo bande kakhulu kuletshebetshebe lasolwandle. Emini ngizakwehlisela umbulali phezu kwabonina bamajaha akibo; khonokho ngizabehlisela usizi lokwesaba.
9 She who has borne seven languishes. She has given up the spirit. Her sun has gone down while it was yet day. She has been disappointed and confounded. I will deliver their residue to the sword before their enemies,” says Yahweh.
Unina wabayisikhombisa uzaqaleka aphefumule okokucina. Ilanga lakhe lizatshona kusesemini; uzayangiswa njalo eyiswe. Izinsalela ngizaziqeda ngenkemba phambi kwezitha zazo,” kutsho uThixo.
10 Woe is me, my mother, that you have borne me, a man of strife, and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have not lent, neither have men lent to me; yet every one of them curses me.
Maye, wena mama, ngokuthi wangizala, mina muntu ilizwe lonke elibangisana laye njalo liphikisana laye! Kangikaze ngebolekise loba ngeboleke, kodwa bonke bayangithuka.
11 Yahweh said, “Most certainly I will strengthen you for good. Most certainly I will cause the enemy to make supplication to you in the time of evil and in the time of affliction.
UThixo wathi, “Ngeqiniso ngizakukhulula ngenjongo enhle; ngeqiniso ngizakwenza izitha zakho zikuncenge ezikhathini zomonakalo lezokuhlupheka.
12 Can one break iron, even iron from the north, and bronze?
Umuntu angayiqamula insimbi, insimbi evela enyakatho kumbe ithusi na?
13 I will give your substance and your treasures for a plunder without price, and that for all your sins, even in all your borders.
Inotho yakho lamatshe akho aligugu ngizakwenza kube yimpango, yamahala, ngenxa yezono zakho kulolonke ilizwe lakini.
14 I will make them to pass with your enemies into a land which you don’t know; for a fire is kindled in my anger, which will burn on you.”
Ngizakwenza ube yisigqili sezitha zakho elizweni ongalaziyo, ngoba ulaka lwami luzabhebha umlilo ozakutshisa.”
15 Yahweh, you know. Remember me, visit me, and avenge me of my persecutors. You are patient, so don’t take me away. Know that for your sake I have suffered reproach.
Uyazwisisa wena Thixo; ngikhumbula ungikhathalele. Ungiphindiselele kwabangihluphayo. Uyabekezela, ungangigudluli; khumbula ukuthi ngithukwa njani ngenxa yakho.
16 Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words were to me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart, for I am called by your name, Yahweh, God of Armies.
Ekufikeni kwamazwi akho, ngawadla; ayeyintokozo yami lenjabulo yenhliziyo yami, ngoba mina ngibizwa ngebizo lakho, wena Thixo Nkulunkulu Somandla.
17 I didn’t sit in the assembly of those who make merry and rejoice. I sat alone because of your hand, for you have filled me with indignation.
Kangizange ngihlale enhlanganisweni yabazithokozisayo, kumbe ngijabule labo; ngahlala ngedwa ngoba isandla sakho sasiphezu kwami njalo wawungenze ngagcwala intukuthelo.
18 Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuses to be healed? Will you indeed be to me as a deceitful brook, like waters that fail?
Kungani ubuhlungu engibuzwayo bungapheli lenxeba lami lilibi kakhulu njalo lingelapheki na? Kimi uzakuba njengesifula esikhohlisayo, lanjengomthombo ongelamanzi na?
19 Therefore Yahweh says, “If you return, then I will bring you again, that you may stand before me; and if you take out the precious from the vile, you will be as my mouth. They will return to you, but you will not return to them.
Ngakho uThixo uthi: “Ungaphenduka, ngizakubuyisela ukuze ungikhonze; nxa ukhuluma amazwi afaneleyo, hatshi angasizi lutho, uzakuba yisikhulumeli sami. Abantu laba kabaphendukele kuwe, kodwa wena akumelanga uphendukele kubo.
20 I will make you to this people a fortified bronze wall. They will fight against you, but they will not prevail against you; for I am with you to save you and to deliver you,” says Yahweh.
Ngizakwenza ube ngumduli kulababantu, umduli ovikelweyo wethusi; bazakulwa lawe kodwa kabayikukwehlula, ngoba mina ngilawe ukuba ngikuhlenge ngikusize,” kutsho uThixo.
21 “I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem you out of the hand of the terrible.”
“Ngizakuhlenga ezandleni zababi ngikukhulule ezandleni zabalesihluku.”

< Jeremiah 15 >